Luckily this time Ciana didn't have a dream about the scary demon this time… but instead, she found herself outside a large building that looked like the shape of a H. Ciana was amazed when she spotted this place as she stared up at it in awe. "Whoa… w-where am I?" Ciana asks herself, as she was staring she heard voices behind her… turning around, Ciana saw other quirky kids who looked happy as they entered the building.
They weren't the same kids she attended at the current school she was going to and even wore different uniforms, Except… Ciana noticed Bakugo was here too. "Bakugo?" She says his name in surprise, though none of the kids noticed her, they all walked past her while they were talking. Ciana managed to overhear one of them mention UA… was this building the school?
As Ciana wondered this, she perked up when she spotted her friend Izuku was with them too. "Izuku!" She said his name happily as she went to approach him excitedly, realizing he was here too, he must have gotten into the school! Though… What also took her by surprise was that no one could see her, even her friend. "Izuku…?" Izuku looked like he was happily chatting with the other students, even a girl with short brown hair who looked so cheerful and peppy… he even reacted so flustered around her…
What was she seeing right now? Is this… a premonition? Ciana looked around more as she noticed… she was not with them… did she not make it into the school after all…? Ciana looked back at Izuku when she realized he was making other friends, not that she wasn't happy about that for him but that he looked so pumped without her there…
Ciana frowned at this sadly as she stood where she was, watching as they entered the school and leaving her alone outside… Ciana looked down in a very sad manner to think she failed and will be all alone after all… and that Izuku seemed to have forgotten about her…
Eventually Ciana woke up the moment the sunlight from the window hit her face, groaning from the wake up call she sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she noticed Izuku was no longer in the room. "He must have gone home…" Ciana says to herself, a bit sad he wasn't with her anymore, but noticed she had a blanket draped over her… taking her by surprise. Ciana knows she didn't leave a blanket out for herself, now realizing it was probably Izukus doing as she smiled at his kind gesture.
"I guess he really was watching over me after all…" Ciana says in a more positive tone now, yawning and stretching her arms, Ciana stands up to get ready for another day once again. Though… Ciana couldn't help but wonder about the dream she had sadly… wondering what it meant for her and if she should even talk to Izuku about it… maybe it's best she doesn't to avoid bringing anything down despite the positive fact he gets in his school he dreamed about…
Back at Takoba Municipal Beach, All Might drilled his two students as one ran back and forth from the steps with various types of scrap, trash, and oddity in a shrinking pile blocking the view of the ocean. "You're doing great, Young Midoriya, pace yourself!"
"Yes sir!" He huffed, maintaining his concentration the whole time. Even after a busy day at school their afternoons wouldn't let up for a moment.
Izuku passed a black ponytail as it swept by, leaving off another four tires into the skip. Ciana hopped down the steps, sweating quite a bit, and although she handled lighter loads, she was a relentless as the greenette. "Very good, Young Finley! Make sure to regulate your breathing constantly, it'll be painful at first but your body will adjust!"
"Aye aye sir!" Ciana responds, breathing is what she most dread… it was hard to breath constantly, she felt like she would pop like a balloon… Ciana wasn't sure what breathing has to do with discovering her power unless he expected she breath fire or something.
Ciana as usual takes a few glances at Izuku to see he is doing a lot better than her, what distracts her sometimes is seeing how strong his muscles look… always she can't help but feel her cheeks are heating up whenever she sees him like that. Ciana could tell Izuku will get into the school no problem, during her short break she would think back to the dream she had about the school. It definitely looked amazing on the outside, wondering how it could look on the inside?
Ciana thinks she should come up with a plan for herself in case she doesn't get into the school… frowning at the idea of not being there. "In case I don't get in… I wonder if I should even continue training? Will I end up in foster care if I fail…?" Ciana worryingly asks herself, the last thing Ciana ever wanted was to wind up alone…
"Hm, is something the matter, Young Finley?" All Might asked, spotting her downtrodden expression for a moment.
Ciana looked up to see her mentor had approached, quickly straightened up as she panicky tried to put a smile back on her face. "O-oh yeah! Yes! I-I'm fine! J-just really sore and tired is all, hehe…" She responds with a sheepish smile and her hand on her neck in an awkward manner.
All Might spares Izuku a look, he hadn't taken his focus off his training so the concealed hero relaxed his stern face to watch the ravenette with worry. "My role as your mentor is to prepare you for the exam in the following year, but, that also includes your emotional health as well, now, I'm not qualified to call myself a phycologist I have seen many Pros young and old with that same expression of yours," He held up his hand for her to wait. "Internal conflict is a toxic fight fists can't solve," All Might patted the flat surface of what looked like the hood of a car for her to sit.
Ciana reluctantly did so, "Now, what's troubling you?"
Ciana wasn't sure if she wanted to reveal what she saw in the dream, but she didn't want to say she knows she's going to fail due to not seeing herself in UA… Ciana sighs as she goes to sit on the front hood of the car, looking out to the distance of the ocean. "I'm just… wondering if there's a chance I won't make it to the school after all…" Ciana starts off.
"I mean… I'm not really familiar with this world with their crazy superpowers and their culture, if there's a chance I fail… I'm worried I'll wind up all alone." Ciana then glances over at Izuku, seeing that he's giving it his all as always. "I believe Izuku will get into the school, he has more of a heart of being a hero than me, he will probably even forget all about me once he's in his new school… especially all the new kinds of friends he will make…" Ciana expresses sadly, Ciana is happy knowing her friend will get more friends to motivate him, but the idea of him forgetting she was there for him made her feel like he might abandon her.
"Do you remember what we spoke about when you were in hospital? I asked you what the essence of a hero was, your reply was, ''being a true hero is not from the strength of your muscles, but the strength in your heart'," All Might smiled a little as he eyed the conflicted girl before him. "Young Midoriya has never been this outgoing since I met him, now I wonder how he only ever seems to speak of you," He chuckled before adding. "Tell me, why is it you started training to begin with? What is driving you to go beyond your limits as much as that young man? Is it to follow his shadow? Or is it to find answers? Or is something else pulling you forward?"
Ciana eyed Mr Yagi in wonder of what he said, even when he mentioned Izuku only speaking of her… what did he mean by that? Surprised by his question of what made her decide to pursue her path, looking back to the sea again as she thinks about how to respond to that. "I guess… I wanted to live up to my mom, when I was little I always used to get pushed around… I used to just run and hide, every time my mom would see me cry… she always told me that I had to be strong and face my fights. To not show any fear and stand up for what is right to me." Ciana tells him as she stared out to the sea.
All Might's smile grew, "Then she's a smart woman to impart such words," He knelt down to be at her level, meeting her gaze. "Young Finley, the single quality that is common across every living creature on this planet... is fear. We so easily underestimate its power. Fear of growing close to someone. Fear of loss. Fear of failure. The more that stand with us, the stronger it will be. However, it is what we become while in its clutches that is greater than its control," He imparted to her. "This exam is but one of those battles, one you must face head-on. And if you fail, then you find a new way, but never let your fears cloud who you are."
Ciana met back to her mentor's eyes as she listened to his wise words and encouragement, Ciana was still afraid what would come her way… but knew he was right, she can't let her fears get in her way of succeeding. Ciana perked up a smile slowly as she nodded. "I'm not sure what will come my way… but I'll continue to move forward the best I can." She says with a wider smile, starting to feel a bit more confident by his words.
"Then fight well, kid, go beyond, plus ultra!" All Might pumped his fist slightly, coughing again but maintaining his encouraging smile before patting her back. "Now, back to it, regulate your breathing through your whole body for as long as possible,"
Ciana smiled more at his encouragement, now hopping back onto her feet from the hood and raising her firsts in determination. "Aye aye sir!" Ciana cheerfully responds as she goes to run back into her training as well as breathing, Ciana still worried for his well-being and hoped he wasn't pushing himself too much. He must have been a hero before to have such wise words, the way he talked definitely reminded her a lot more of the big smiley guy…
Could they be related? It's almost like they are the same person… but that can't be, Mr Yagi was starting to be a bit of a mystery to her now.
Izuku, fixated on his training for the afternoon, finished tossing another load of trash into the large skip, this time it was an assortment of gears, from softball sized to ones he could wear atop his shoulders like armour. Dusting his hands off, he pivoted to quickly head back to work. "Switching between light and heavy loads is good for prolong my stamina, I should look for trash in those quantities next-" His thoughts were shattered as he ran straight into Ciana, falling onto his back as she stumbled and managed to catch herself. "Ah... s-sorry, I wasn't paying attention again!"
Ciana was once again surprised by the sudden crash but managed to straighten and pull herself together. "No problem, I probably should have seen where I was going too… are you alright Izuku?" Ciana asks in concern as she offers her hand to give him a lift up, giving him her usual warm kind smile towards him as always. This sudden impact reminded her when they first met, funny enough.
"Y-yeah, I'm... huh?" After taking her hand, Izuku held up his left to find the palm had taken the blow for him, the skin cut open a little. "Guess I landed on it," He didn't mind, cuts were really normal for him when he trained. Sharp objects and unstable mounds were common.
Ciana was actually concerned for his wound as she took hold of his hand and looked over it. "You're injured… Does it hurt?" Ciana asks as she carefully brushes the wound with her finger to see how bad it is.
The feeling of his sweat made it sting more but again, he felt much worse than a cut across the palm. "Y-yeah, d-doesn't hurt a-at all," She was also far too close and prodded his hand with concern. Good thing the training made his cheeks red enough already.
Ciana didn't really believe that as her brows narrowed in suspicion. "Hold on…" She says before pulling out some gauze from her pocket, carefully wrapping it around his palm as her focus stays there to make sure she was doing it right.
"Y-you came prepared..." Izuku murmured, allowing her to wrap a thin layer around his hand. Even flustered at the proximity to the cute girl, his brow furrowed as he tensed his injured hand slightly. "Huh, it doesn't sting anymore?" But gauze alone couldn't do that…
"Well since we're training hard I figured one of us might get injured in the process…" She says, soon finishing up her work, not catching his mumble. "There, feel better?" She asks with her gaze going back up to Izukus eyes, still holding his palm as she did, not even realizing she was admitting a light glow from her palm as he felt a warm sensation again…
He stared at her, speechless, "B-better," But again, now that he was focused on solely her that refreshing wave of energy struck him, like... the tide. The soft slosh of the distant waves aligned with this soothing sensation across his body. His gaze lowered to her hands cupping his... the faint amber glow enveloping her palms and his own.
Like a pin dropped, Izuku's eyes widened in wonder as his mouth formed an 'O' in utter shock. "C-Ciana... look," He whispered to her, mesmerized by what he was seeing.
"Hm? What?" Her gaze went back down to his hand to see the strange glow… her eyes widened in shock at what she's seeing, yelping and quickly letting go of his hand, Ciana looked at her palms in much shock and confusion. "W-what was that?" Ciana asked in a fearful manner of what she just witnessed, her eyes looking back up at Izuku for any ideas of what he knows.
"Beautiful..." He smiled again, bigger than ever before as he held out her hands without question. "Your quirk... that's what that feeling was this whole time!" Izuku began to laugh a little. "I don't feel fatigued at all anymore, you did that, this whole time you've been replenishing my energy! No, wait... it's more than that, it soothed the pain in my hand too, and-and maybe there's more to it, but... it was definitely your quirk!" Izuku replied confidently, squeezing her hands before quickly letting go. "A-ah, sorry, I got carried away there... hahaha..."
Ciana didn't understand what he was saying but the way he took her hands again made her blush very red as she stared at him in much confusion, when he talked about her power and replenishing him only made her more confused but surprised. "W-wha…?" She says before looking at her hands again. "W-what are you talking about? I was… replenishing you?"
Ciana wasn't sure what Izuku meant, all this time she didn't think she had any superpowers… She was very stunned with herself.
"Time when we-we uh..." Now, his face grew an even darker shade of red. "...h-held hands or-or hugged, I-I think your quirk works through physical contact," He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath to continue. "Every time I was fatigued in those moments all that lost energy was replenished, even the slight sting of my cut just now, and even my aching muscles were soothed too, your quirk allows you to completely regenerate a person's stamina and seems to affect the nerves in their body too seeing as I don't feel any different then when I started training - it's amazing, Ciana!"
But his ramblings weren't done as he started to pace in deep thought. "With that in mind, maybe if you focused your ability... aura? Pulse? Well, maybe you can channel it toward yourself too to boost yourself? There's also the case of how much energy it's draining from you, like passing on charge from a device to another. I wonder if it can affect multiple people too through contact?" Izuku had a million new ideas running rampant, all with a bright smile on his face as he turned to Ciana gleefully. "I knew it, you really did have a quirk, Ciana!"
Ciana was very surprised by what she heard, all this time she thought she got something like flight, super strength, or just understanding other languages. But hearing she has the ability to replenish people… she wasn't sure what to think, Ciana was a bit nervous but found that cool at the same time. Hiding her hands behind her back in a flustered manner as she looks away.
"Y-your saying I was helping you whenever I touched you? I-if you noticed that before… w-why didn't you mention it then?" Ciana asked in a bashful tone, now starting to wonder what else she is even capable of.
"T-that's the thing, I didn't," Izuku now realized he had to say it, as stupid, creepy, and downright awkward it was going to be. "...I-I thought I was... just full of energy... a-around you..." He lowered his head, running his hands over his face. "That really doesn't sound any better than if I just said I never noticed," Izuku groaned, wishing the world would just spit him out in another reality now.
Ciana tilted her head in a curious manner as she continued to stare at Izuku, full of energy around her? Wasn't that kinda the same thing. "Hm? What do you mean exactly?" Ciana asked, wondering if it had anything to do with what Mr Yagi mentioned about Izuku talking about her.
"I think my head's about to burst..." He silently begged her to stop pressing further while trying not to burst a blood vessel. "T-the times it happened I didn't have a good angle of your hands!" It wasn't a complete lie, but he also didn't know if this glow was present only in her hands as that warmth coursed over his whole body when it triggered. "I-I could be wr-wrong but t-times when I was r-really happy around you i-is when I felt less drowsy, m-maybe it's not always a-a contact thing, but it's stronger when there is physical contact, l-like being in an aura?"
Ciana might have blushed when he mentioned being happy around her, but also from what he explained. Ciana looks away again with a shy smile as she plays with the strands of her long hair. "W-wait… d-does that mean when I kissed your cheek, you felt something then too…?" Ciana suddenly asked… her face becoming more redder just mentioning the thank you kiss she gave him.
She wasn't alone as Izuku mirrored that reaction, nodding silently. "O-only now that I think of it... t-that time I felt stronger," His embarrassment remained but now he felt his focus return gradually. "Like, I had so much pent up energy in my body that I never felt before, maybe y-your quirk amplifies depending on the type of contact?" He cocked his head. "There's still too many unknowns without proper practice - Ah! N-n-not that I'd f-force you to do that again! J-just hypothesis!" The frantic waves of his hands emphasizing his point.
Ciana definitely felt her cheeks getting redder when he told her he felt stronger when she kissed him… her heart pounding just thinking about doing that more, though it sounded weird to do for other people… but it also sounded like it would be handy for Izuku too. "I-I see… Well, uh… I-I'm not sure how that would qualify me as a hero… b-but sure sounds pretty useful for others." Ciana sheepishly laughs, remembering how red Izuku got when she thanked him that way… she wasn't sure if he was comfortable with that method.
"Well, we have plenty of t-time to see to what extent your quirk works, so-" Izuku was cut off in that moment.
"Hey, you two, what's with the sudden break?" All Might waved as he moved toward them. His appearance immediately brought a yelp from them both as they stood a little further apart. "Huh? What's going on?"
Ciana almost forgot Mr Yagi was here, she was still blushing pretty shyly as her hand was now scratching her cheek with her finger. "Well… uh… I-I think I might have discovered my po- er… quirk, I-Izuku ended up being the one to discover it."
Ciana surprisingly explains as her smile rose in another shy manner of how her power worked.
All Might's sunken eyes widened before he let out a triumphant laugh, spurting blood from his mouth, "Hahaha! You two are truly full of surprises! Especially you, fanboy for figuring it out!" Wiping his mouth after his outburst, he wore a toothy grin. "Well, colour me impressed, both of you, so what's this quirk of yours capable of?"
Ciana yelped when he saw the way the blood spurted from his mouth, that was definitely very concerning… and quite scary at the same time, Ciana still smiled shyly as her gaze turned to Izuku when she revealed what she had. "Well… I-I think I have the ability to replenish someone's strength, Izuku said whenever he's around me he would feel strong again whenever we're together." Ciana explains so far. "At least… that's what we theorized when my hand started to glow when I was mending Izuku's wound."
To the teens' surprise, All Might didn't even look for the opportunity to tease them, instead, he crossed his arms, giving it some thought. "An emitter type? I know of one medical heroine with a similar quirk though hers is far more focused on rapid healing, and it drains the stamina of the afflicted person. Yours seems to do the opposite, drawing from your own strength to others, whether this is limited to one individual, physical contact, and various angles we haven't considered will remain to be seen,"
Walking over, All Might patted the young girl on the shoulder, "You've done well, but now your training will become a little harder as we prioritize physical training with your quirk," But he smiled encouragingly with a thumb raised. "But I have no doubts this will be instrumental in your entrance exam, so be sure to study and train hard, Young Finley."
Ciana stumbled a bit when he patted her back but felt more confident now after what her mentor told her. "W-well… I-I'll certainly do my best." She said with a smile as she rubbed her arm nervously. Though Ciana knew she was gonna dread the extra training she's going to get that will probably be like Izukus… she already felt weird imagining how buff her muscles will be compared to Izukus.
"I didn't know other people had a similar power like that, sounds pretty useful. Though I'm not sure how replenishing someone's strength will qualify me for crime fighting if I can't do anything to help in the battle." She says, not that she didn't like her power but it kinda sounded like she won't be much help as she stays on the sidelines and waits until someone is weak…
"There is more to heroism than fighting, while yes, it is important there are many like you with quirks that cannot aid them in direct confrontation but manage just fine," All Might held up a finger to emphasize his point. "And that is why I'm teaching you this breathing technique, if you master it, your physical and mental capabilities will be beyond what even an athlete can accomplish, combined with your affinity to replenish those around you, and in time, perhaps yourself, in a battle of attrition you will be a priority,"
"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Ciana," Izuku spoke up again. "While it's true others will be stronger by leaps with powerful quirks, there's no doubt ones like your own are important too, perhaps even the most pivotal role in team-ups."
"Young Midoriya's right, look at every angle, take advantage of your opponent's weaknesses and capitalize on key moments, that is what makes the Pros," All Might reinforced.
Ciana knew what they were saying was right, not like she needed a superpower before to stand up to others. Plus having something like this will really be useful for the friends she makes, she did feel more athletic too after the intense training she was enduring. Ciana now smiled more confidently again as she once again raised her fists up in determination. "When you put it that way I guess I am a pretty valuable fighter." Ciana jokes with a giggle after her remark.
"Nice to know I'll be helpful to you too more Izuku." Ciana happily says as her gaze turned to him with a wider smile.
"I'm just happy she'll have a better chance now..." In truth, Izuku was worried if Ciana would pass the practical exam since he would have inherited One For All by then. He'd be strong enough to fight whatever was thrown at them, but that left Ciana at the disadvantage he had mentally prepared for before meeting All Might personally. How does a quirkless person compete with the blessed? Well, maybe now that wasn't going to be an issue. "Yeah, ditto,"
With a clap of his hands, All Might drew in their attention. "Now, this is a monumental moment, but that can wait, back to training you two, can't stray from the dream plans now! UA isn't far away!"
"Y-Yes Sir!/Aye-aye Sir!" The two quickly scampered off to the beach again.
Once out of sight, All Might frowned to himself, looking up at the dark blues and purples starting to tear into the sky. "What are you plotting with this young lady, Meru Zena? Why make your move now in all these years?" For the first time in years, All Might felt worried for what was to come.
Ciana wasn't aware Izuku had told their mentor about the creep who haunted her dreams… Ciana still was nervous if he would pop up soon out of her dreams and prepare to hurt her… but she tries not to think about it as her focus was more on the heavy lifting and breathing… still exhausting as always… Ciana even still gave Izuku an encouraging smile and thumbs up whenever they crossed paths again during training, eventually Ciana broke down a little as her back met with the sand, panting as she stared up into the sky to see it was starting to slowly set.
"Any more of this and I'm sure I'm gonna be too sore to move anymore…" Ciana tiredly said as she was laying in the sand, lifting her arm up to take a sip of her water bottle she happened to have in her hand… then it collapsed back onto the sand.
"You okay?" Izuku leaned over to shadow her head from what remained of the sun, blinking down at her exhausted state.
Ciana looks up at Izuku who was now in her view, giving him a tired smile. "Probably not… you're still standing compared to me." Ciana jokes as she hasn't even moved where she is.
"I have several months on you so it's expected," He chuckled, moving around to offer his hand to her. "Come on, only a little longer then we can go home."
Ciana sighed but still kept her smile as she now took his hand. Ciana started to take a stand but when she did her legs kinda gave out and might have lost her balance… "W-whoa!" Already she was starting to fall backwards with a startle and might have accidentally pulled Izuku with her as her back met back with the sand again… and maybe her friend on top of her…
"Ah, ow..." Izuku winced from the fall, moving his hands to press against the sand. They narrowly missed the pile of trash behind them in the fall. "Are you oka..." His words died in his throat as he stared straight down at Ciana's wide, startled eyes staring back at him. Her lighter shade of green meets his dark emerald irises in complete silence. He was completely bewitched by her sight that his heart clenched for a moment, unable to move an inch.
Ciana winced from the fall… not expecting her legs would immediately give out like that… opening her eyes, Ciana was planning to apologize until she sees the position her and Izuku are in… staring up into his own eyes her face blushed incredibly red, she had no idea what to say as her heart was pounding incredibly fast by their closeness. This is when she took a moment to admire his features… despite his messy green hair he had, Izuku had such a cute face the way his freckles decorated his cheeks, and his eyes were so gentle and beautiful like a pair of emeralds. Ciana was basically frozen in place when she stared up at Izuku… unable to say anything as she was stuck in this trance. It's a good thing it was a bit dark and no one else was around or otherwise this would look more embarrassing…
Neither said a word. The sky darker, streaks of violet and midnight blue dividing the ceiling above. The gentle sway of the waves to their left was intoxicating to listen to. Ciana moved first, her elbow shifted through the sand to lift her upper body, bringing her face inches from Izuku's to the point they felt each other's' breath. Izuku didn't pull away, almost moving closer himself, completely transfixed to her alluring gaze. "Maybe..." Neither voiced the word as they-
"Young Midoriya, Finley, time to pack it in for today!" All Might's shout snapped them back to reality. Within a split second, Izuku threw himself backward with all his strength, landing on his back as his face was deep red by the time the blonde hero wrapped around the corner. "Ah, you two wrapping up?"
"Ye-yes sir!" Izuku answered for them both, Ciana sitting upright but looking the other way.
"Did I seriously just try to..." Again, their thoughts aligned, not daring to look at one another until their heart rates came down.
Ciana couldn't believe what she tried to do… never has she been in a position like that… just what had come over her to lean in to do something awkward like that? Just what was up with the mood!? her face was so red it would probably put an apple to shame, Ciana was too afraid to look back at Izuku after that as she was nervous he was creeped out…
Thank god they pulled away in time though for Mr Yagi not to see anything… who knows how they would explain that situation, quickly she cleared her throat as she took a stand to get up. Keeping in mind how sore her legs were as she balanced right to get up. "I… uh… better go grab my bag." Ciana says awkwardly, giving Izuku a funny smile before walking towards the bench to grab her bag, taking another big gulp of her water bottle to try and cool herself down…
"Did that just happen? Why did I nearly do that?" There was no concrete answer in Izuku's head, everything was either melting or solely focused on her. He slapped his burning cheeks, shaking as much of the image away as possible as he stood up sharply. "Th-thank you, Mr Yagi, we'll see y-you tomorrow,"
All Might, having been unaware of what just occurred, smiled, patting his successor on the shoulder. "Get some rest now, my boy, every day counts, and now with Young Finley's quirk discovered she'll be playing catch-up with you soon," With a chuckle, he pushed Izuku lightly to be on his way.
Even as Izuku rounded the mounds of garbage that remained in peaks to grab his school bag, he couldn't help steal a glance at Ciana who had her back to him. What compelled him to do that? Maybe it was the constant unfamiliarity with having a real friend? Or was it about her quirk that he found so mesmerizing? He didn't know the answer, so he tried his best not to overthink. "Her eyes were really bright... and that smile too..." Again, he embarrassed himself, grabbing his water bottle to dump the remains down his face to cool himself off. "Ah... stop that, Izuku," He berated.
Ciana glanced over to Izuku when she noticed he looked like he was having a bit of a melt down… after the sudden moment they had he must be trying to cool himself down too… weirdly even after that strange incident they both had, Ciana couldn't help but chuckle by his flustered behavior, bringing a little smile back to her face as she gazed at him.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it… but after leaning closer to him like that I could have sworn he was doing the same… I wonder what suddenly came over me? Was I really trying to…" Ciana shook her head as she brought her gaze away. "I sure got a lot to think about… I just hope after that stunt Izuku won't feel too weird around me, I wonder if he will still walk me home after that…" She asks herself, a bit worried he won't want to now. Ciana swings her backpack over her shoulder as she now goes to wait up the steps for Izuku, thinking he might want some time to himself before they start walking home…
Running a hand down his wet face to flick the droplets off, Izuku let out a heavy sigh. Grabbing his bag, he gave All Might a wave as the hero packed his own things away, returning to gesture. Moving up the steps quickly, Izuku had pulled out his notebook again. "Right, s-sorry for the wait, ready to go?" One step at a time, getting closer to Ciana would be apparent if they were to test her quirk, so really, he had several months to adjust... well, to basic human contact that is.
Despite how flustered Ciana was around Izuku right now, she still kept her smile as she nodded to confirm she's ready. "No worries, I'm ready whenever you are." Ciana says as she began walking by Izuku side now, she was glad he still wanted to walk with her. Despite what happened on the beach it wasn't enough to avoid him, Ciana had her gaze turned away as she processed a bit more what went on today, she discovered she had a superpower after all and can replenish peoples stamina, it was a pretty cool power but she wasn't sure how to control it.
Glancing at Izuku now she could see he was dabbling in his notebook, Ciana wondered if she should talk about what happened or pretend it never happened at all… Looking forward now, Ciana decided to bring her focus on her power to ease some awkwardness but still blushed at the memory of their sudden moment. "So… I-I'm still pretty stunned we discovered my superpower… all this time I never believed I had one, though now that we both know… I-im not sure how I'll be able to control it in ways." Ciana says so far, at least grateful she didn't end up looking like a mutant.
Izuku nodded, his gaze flicking between her and his notebook. "W-well, that's what we aim to find out, a-and you will control it, I'm s-sure of it," It was the mindset Izuku had to adopt for when the time came to inherit All Might's quirk.
"I-I never had a superpower before, so it might be pretty difficult to adjust with the whole idea." She says shyly, looking away as she scratches her cheek. "I-I mean I do wonder how I'm even doing it when I haven't even known I was replenishing you…"
But to her surprise, Izuku looked to have an answer written on his face. "I-I've been thinking about that, and... normally, emitter quirks are able to generate and sometimes control certain aspects about them or the world, even alter the world around them. What you're doing it emitting an 'Aura' let's call it, that affects those in close proximity to yourself, thereby rejuvenating those around you based on physical contact, or perhaps strengthened with that method as y-you've done with me," Izuku caught himself from stumbling over his words. "The limits aren't know yet, but I think the best way to turn it on and off is simply by thinking of it like a light switch, turn it on when you need light and off when you don't - a-at least that's my way of thinking about it,"
Ciana was pretty amazed by what he has analyzed so far, staring at him pretty wide eye to process the info he just gave her. "Whoa you sure pick this stuff up pretty quick… even I couldn't put everything together like that in one day." Ciana giggles as she now looks forward again with a smile. "Were you by any chance studying me often whenever we're together…?"
Much like his 'switch' mind-set, his face went from healthy to red in a flash. "W-w-well, you saying i-it like that makes me s-sound like a creep, b-but yes..." He stared deeper into his book as her sly smile grew. "I-I've shown you that I find quirks amazing, s-so when yours finally clicked I had so many thoughts and ideas strung together, I-I'm just glad they're helping now."
Ciana couldn't help but giggle again from his usual flustered side as she eyed him back with a wider smile. "I didn't realize how fascinating I became for you to study, especially when I didn't think I had a superpower, in a way I find that kinda flattering." Ciana teases with another giggle, placing her arms around her back now.
"Though I'm not sure how I'll be able to practice using it… I mean I know I was boosting you up by touching you, but how will I be able to use it more effectively?" Ciana asks as she releases one hand now to place it on her chin in a thoughtful manner.
"Most of that will come with practice and learning what you can and cannot do. Everyone going to UA will have years of experience on you, but if you look at things from the right angle you can find a way around them," Izuku smiled a little. "Example, if people are affected by your Aura being near you, you can try to increase the output of your quirk to cover a larger area, that might mean meditation to give yourself a mind space to slip into when you attempt this. Or if it's through physical contact, designing support items to further your mobility around a battlefield would be a must," He held up a third finger. "There's also the potential that what you project can be internalized and passively boost your own capabilities slightly, maybe not to the same level but even a small increase would be a huge improvement!"
"You make it sound so easy." Ciana teases, he truly is the smartest guy she knows in this world. "Probably be hard too, though when you say I could practice more through physical contact…" Ciana blushes again as she turns her gaze away in her own flustered manner. "Does that mean… I should like… hold your hand or hug you often?" Ciana shyly asks for example… remembering when he mentioned he felt strong that way and even kissing his cheek before…
His cheeks remained inflamed, his grip on his notebook creasing the pages as he felt his free left hand twitch with... anticipation? Fear? He wasn't certain. "We-well, i-it is one way of t-testing it - for your q-quirk, that is!" Whether this was to convince Ciana or himself he kept silent on while looking straight ahead, simply offering his hand between them. "O-only if you're comfortable w-with it,"
Ciana was very surprised he was willing to go through with it, staring at him and his hand as she looked conflicted but mostly worried if he was uncomfortable with this. Ciana was blushing more and even felt her heart rate quicken, but despite being awkward maybe… Ciana smiled warmly, reaching her hand out to hold his. "I'm okay with it as long as you are…"
She says softly, his hand is very warm and feels her heart quickening faster just by the contact of his hand…
Tentatively, the lithe fingers curled around Izuku's palm, slowly, their fingers intertwined as neither looked at the other, blushing furiously at the familiar and seemingly tense action. Slowly, their hands relaxed against one another, their cheeks red and hearts pounding but both kept walking closer together as a soft glow emanated from Ciana's palm to Izuku's once both relaxed. That embarrassment lost for fascination on Izuku's part, feeling completely energized again, the new form of warmth wrapped around his palm.
Ciana wasn't sure if it was working but she certainly felt very warm herself just holding his hand like this… as well as her cheeks, Ciana was a bit worried if this was pushing it for Izuku, not wanting to make him uncomfortable around her as she was probably already making it. Glancing at his face she could see he was still looking red but was distracted by her hand he was looking at…
While he was distracted Ciana became distracted herself gazing at Izuku… the way he's so fascinated by her ability is really cute but she felt so safe around him like she had nothing to worry about…
"Well..." His awed expression shifted to a confident smile, sheepishly scratching his head as he met her gaze. "I think that's one theory solved, hehehe..."
Ciana stared at his gaze for a moment, before her smile came back and giggled at his words. "I guess so, do you… feel replenished again? Do you want me to let go?'' She asks in curiosity, though strangely part of her didn't want to let go as she felt holding his hand is very comforting.
"From my understanding once my whole body feels energized the transfer remains afterward for a period of time... I think maybe twenty minutes? I'm not sure though," His hand, however, didn't let go. "W-we could try a little longer, t-to see how much energy you can produce before y-you start to feel fatigued yourself." His eyes quickly fell to his book again, unable to meet her eyes, or just the idea of staring at her in general while like this.
Ciana didn't expect he wanted to try it out longer, but she wouldn't object… looking away with a shy smile and her cheeks reddening more." W-well I don't mind… t-that is if you don't." She responds very bashfully, maybe not even realizing she tightened her grip on his hand more… Ciana was starting to wonder if there's other ways to test what she can do, there's also kissing his cheek but… what would happen if she… Ciana started to blush incredibly red again at the idea… thinking there's no way Izuku would want to do that kind of test… would he…?
"Mmhm, i-it's the best s-solution a-and unless y-you want Mr Y-Yagi watching?" The mere idea of his mentor constantly teasing them felt worse than a workout in his honest opinion. And yet, here Izuku was, holding the hand of a beautiful girl and she wasn't either repulsed or angry about it either. The constant affinity of peppiness made Izuku snicker to himself at the ludicrous situation. "It's like I'm stuck in a dream..." In the midst of his turmoil, Izuku spurted out something he thought was funny now that he thought about it. "O-or would you prefer K-Kacchan as a test s-subject?"
Ciana was pretty taken back at what he was suggesting, now looking at him with an odd look and probably disgusted expression. "What…? You're joking right? There's no way I ever hold hands with an aggressive wild animal like him!" Ciana definitely did not take that suggestion well…
Suddenly, Izuku burst out laughing at her sour expression at the mere concept of holding Katsuki's hand. If this were any other day, Izuku would be anxious about ever making such a joke about the explosive blonde, but after seeing Ciana actually confront and defuse every encounter they had Izuku never felt more relieved. "Y-your face...!" He snickered, using his arm to hide his smile.
Ciana really did not expect him to burst out laughing like that… and might be blushing embarrassingly as she looked at him confused. "W-what? W-what about it?" Ciana asks confused and nervous, placing her hands on her cheeks in a nervous manner as she wonders if her superpower made her look like a mutant after all…
Her reaction almost made him double over, "N-not physically b-but just your whole face looked like you a-ate something sour after my joke about you and Kacchan h-holding hands!" Izuku managed to calm himself down enough to breathe again. "Sorry-sorry, I just thought it was a good joke s-since you and him don't exactly get along,"
That only made her redder that she looked funny to him as she looked away to hide her embarrassment. "D-don't joke about stuff like that! Y-you make it sound like you were actually okay with that idea…" she says shyly, but glad Izuku wasn't really serious about the crazy idea.
"Huh? W-well, I... hrm..." Izuku's face didn't redden further but he still felt himself squirm slightly as they walked, squeezing her hand. "...not really... I-I guess... I dunno how I'd feel about that..." He really didn't know. Jealous? Worried? "Sorry, I'm... not very good a-at jokes," Now he felt like an idiot for even jokingly suggesting it. Was it maybe due to all this pent up energy from her palm that was still glowing?
Ciana sighed… but was able to make eye contact with him again as she smiled, especially when she felt his grip. "It's okay, as ridiculous as it sounded, at least you got a good laugh about it…" Ciana teasingly says, part of her actually enjoyed seeing him laugh.
"I rarely got to see that side of you, it's actually nice to see you perk up like that." She admits as she smiled more, when she stopped to think about it he really had an adorable laugh…
"I'm not sure if it's me being constantly energized, or the fact Kacchan seems to shut-down when you two glare at each other, my whole world's been upside down for a few days now..." He admitted with a worried laugh. By now, the anxiety of holding hands was beginning to fade. "S-speaking of, how are you feeling? Any changes?"
"Hm? Oh, well nothing so far, I do feel warm when I am holding your hand… does that count?" Ciana asks with a blush back on her face as she shyly smiles at him and scratches her cheek with her free hand.
"U-um, I'm not sure..." Izuku again looked at anything that wasn't her. While he felt warm all over, it was again a strange sensation that felt strongest at their hands. "I-I guess frequently d-doing this might h-help." "I'm not sure if I'm asking to hold her hand more out of principle or the tests... I can't think straight!"
"Though… I remember that you mentioned you felt stronger when I… uh… kissed your cheek… if… if you felt stronger that way. I wonder what would happen if I… I…" Ciana wasn't sure if she could suggest the idea of kissing him, remembering the incident on the beach caused her heart to quicken and feel so red in the face again, Izuku would probably blow a fuse if she even mentions a silly idea like that… maybe even disgusted.
Blood-red was all Izuku felt in the gradual darkness of night that nearly stole away what little shades of colour remained in the sky. The street lights here and there gave him only an ambiguous look of her face, but he was certain she matched his face, not bringing herself to look at him directly. "I-is she saying w-we should...?" He just about started to get a handle on holding a girl's hand, now this was taking that bar a few hundred meters higher. But there was another thing, "I-I'm not s-s-sure, a-and... I-I wouldn't w-want to take that f-from you..." The implications in his head were very bare bones, but he was certain a first kiss was very important. And he... wasn't sure he deserved to take that from Ciana just because of an experiment.
Ciana quickly glanced at him to see what she was expecting was right… looking away again as her cherry red face remained on her cheek, Ciana tried to laugh it off to try and ease the awkwardness but wasn't sure if it was enough. "Oh I-I wasn't being that serious about it! I-I mean I wouldn't push something like that on you especially if you're uncomfortable and grossed out by the idea…"
Ciana kept her gaze away as she kept talking. "Y-you probably would rather do that with someone you like when you get to that new school… after all I'm just… a normal girl from another world, so I can understand if I'm not your type…" Ciana couldn't help but frown sadly at what she said, remembering the short brown haired girl in her vision… she wasn't sure why remembering that vision of him blushing around her bothered her… but who knows if she will make it into the school or not after that dream…
"Ciana... I'm not sure if..." Izuku squeezed her hand a little as he stared at her with a concerned expression, swallowing that lump building in his throat. "...being from another world... that doesn't bother me," He replied as her eyes met him again as they crossed a bridge over the river near her apartment complex. "I don't care if the person I-I liked was from this world or another, or their background, or if they had a quirk or not. I'm just happy if they're happy with me... a person who isn't special, that... see me for... well me," He shrugged, still very much embarrassed. "T-though I'm not sure I have a 'type', I've never really t-thought about that... ever..." He sighed in defeat. "I'm totally inoperable in social situations..."
Ciana looked back at him when she felt his squeeze, her eyes began to widen a little when she heard her being from another world didn't bother him. Her heart once again began to race by his words, when he was done speaking… Ciana smiled softly as she looked forward again but squeezed his hand back. "Well… I think any girl would be lucky to have you… from how long I have known you, you have shown me how kind hearted and strong you are… I really admire how much you want to help others and chase your dreams. Especially protect those who can't protect themselves…" Ciana's gaze turned to the sky now but she didn't stop talking.
"I think you're very unique in your own special way, especially the way you smile to show everything will be okay." Ciana started to blush again realizing what she said as she looked away bashfully. "S-sorry, that probably sounded weird didn't it?" She nervously laughs while using her free hand to play with her strand of hair shyly.
"Thank you for saying that... though I'm still very unsure of it myself, I guess... having someone say it that wasn't just trying to shield my feelings means more to me," Izuku answered bashfully. How did he get so lucky to meet her? No matter how often his own pessimism tried to bury his thoughts, Ciana tore them away and he felt infinitely lighter. "...you're amazing too... anyone would be blessed to be with you I-I think; you always keep a strong conviction in mind, and despite setbacks you persevere anyway,"
She looked back at Izuku when he began to speak and hearing the way he complimented her really brought a smile to her heart as it raced. Smiling more warmly at his words, without thinking… Ciana leaned in to kiss his cheek… He could probably feel the warm sensation more by the new contact, the moment Ciana did that she turned her gaze away shyly. "Thank you Izuku, your… the only one to ever see that about me."
Ciana tells him softly, feeling incredibly flustered after all that she did and said.
That wasn't what Izuku was expecting at all, and again, that soft feeling of her lips to his cheek made his heartbeat dial up by a hundred. Had it not been for her hand and his lock he'd have tried to cover his face better. But true to their speculation, his body became enriched with unseen vigor. The contact had significantly increased his body's nerves. His muscles felt stronger right down to his bones. "I-I-I..." Instead, he just nodded to her. "L-l-let's get you home then! I-I think being used like a battery i-isn't good for your b-body!"
Like a rusty machine, he marched on with Ciana in tow.
Ciana kinda expected him to get all flustered again… but she giggled just from how cute he was acting, Ciana felt giddy inside as she kept on walking. "Try not to hurt yourself…" Ciana teasingly warns, though hopes he won't trip or run into something when he's walking like that… She really believed any girl would be lucky to have someone as cute as him…
The short stretch left of their walk was in comfortable silence, say for the fact it felt like both their faces were sunburnt. In no time at all, the two had made it to Ciana's front door as they finally let their hands go, the vacancy making their hands colder in the October night air. "Your hand's still glowing," Izuku pointed out. "Try to turn it off, imagine flipping a switch or pulling back that sensation in your hand,"
Ciana looked at her hand the moment he had it pointed out, surprised it still was glowing. "Oh… I didn't think it would continue like this." Ciana tried to close her eyes to imagine it off… didn't take too long as it faded, now opening her eyes to see it stopped. Looking at the front and the back after that.
"It's so weird… I can almost still feel how warm it felt, this is going to take some getting used to…" Ciana places her arms behind her back now in a shy manner.
"But the possibilities are endless right now..." Izuku beamed before coughing into his hand. "Right-right, leave it until tomorrow, sorry," He smiled sheepishly. "But it seems your stamina isn't drained as rapidly as I suspected..." He murmured. Could there be other causes they're not aware of?
"Y-yeah… I guess you have quite the impact on me." Ciana responds as her blush brightens a tad bit more. "I probably should try to think of other ways to practice this weird ability of mine."
Izuku nodded in agreement, picking at his own cheek. "I t-think Mr Yagi will have something, but again, meditation could be t-the key to broadening your ability's affinity,"
"Probably… if that's the case." Ciana was a bit nervous about what else she is capable of, but remembering the creepy guy in her dream that mentioned she will be useful to her… Cianas expression almost looked scared again as her gaze turned away.
"Um… Izuku, if it's not too weird between us right now… is it alright if I ask…" Ciana wasn't sure if she should ask him to watch her again as she was afraid she's pushing this on him too much.
Like telepathy, Izuku's brow furrowed slightly, "Meru Zena?" Ciana jumped at the name but nodded shamefully. Without needing any more explanation, Izuku didn't budge from his spot. "I-I don't mind, I'm not even tired thanks to you so it's the least I can do,"
Ciana started to relax when she heard he agreed, her smile perked up as she nodded as thanks. "O-okay… thank you Izuku." Ciana goes to open the door with her key again as she walks in, leaving it open so he can follow her inside.
Ciana was flustered again of him being here longer with her but is also happy he's with her as he still made her feel safe, already Ciana lays on the couch again. Ciana glances at her friend to make sure as usual he was okay with this.
"Was this what he's waiting for? For Ciana's work to grow?" Izuku had wondered, waiting until Ciana was done getting ready to sleep as Izuku considered the mystery that was Meru Zena. If this was the case, then it meant they needed to train harder before that day. Izuku clenched his fist out of sight, his eyes burning with defiance. "No matter what, I won't let anything happen to her," Even if that meant going up against someone far stronger than him.
Once Ciana laid down on the sofa again, he showed her a small smile, nodding as he sat back against the armchair. Once she was asleep he'd place the cover over her and leave, just like always.
Though surprisingly before he could go, Ciana took hold of Izuku's hand in her sleep… almost like she didn't want him to go but her eyes were still closed and her chest was rising and falling…
Izuku froze in place after the blanket was over her body again, her hand grasped his wrist tightly, almost fearfully. "A nightmare...?" If what she told him was to be taken into detail, Meru Zena had made a connection somehow and was inside her head. Or... was she simply afraid of it happening again? Izuku pulled out his phone a moment later, texting a short message before pocketing it again. Sitting down next to the sofa with his back to Ciana, he let her hand hold his wrist. "I guess staying a while longer won't be too bad,"
Crossing his legs to get comfortable, Izuku set his notebook steady on his legs to continue his work in silence. Ignoring the fact he was in the house of a girl currently sleeping behind him. "Yep, just keep working Izuku, nothing weird or mortifying happening here, nope," He shook his head, narrowing his eyes at the pages.
Ciana continued to grip his hand while she was asleep, unaware what she was doing. After a few moments her face scrunched up a little and groaned as her grip became a little tighter. "Izuku…" Ciana surprisingly mumbled his name… like she was dreaming about him.
"Please… don't… leave me…" Ciana softly mumbles more… What could she possibly be dreaming about?
Looking back at her with genuine worry over his face, he turned to move her hand between both of his, "I won't," Whether she heard him or not didn't matter. But, if she kept being this restless he'd wake her up. "I just wish I knew what to do... why does he need Ciana and her quirk specifically, why make any actions now after years of watching from afar?" There was no correlation.
Ciana wasn't sure what this monster could want from her ether… she never believed she was anything special but a normal girl, the idea of the man breaking into her home any night really terrified her. Though when she felt the comfort of Izuku's hand and his protective words to her cause Ciana to slowly relax, slowly she perked up a smile as her grip tightened.
Even though she is scared the man will come after her, she was also afraid to be alone and left behind. The fear of that also had her mumble more words out of her mouth. "Don't… forget about… me…" Ciana softly says… What did she mean by that part?
"How could I?" Izuku muttered back, looking down at his notebook, the detailed sketches of both Ciana and her concept costume, as well as the new name for her quirk, Aura. "When you've done so much for me..." His heart was lighter, and so was his smile.